Love me, love me not
by Calico Star
Summary: A question is asked. The answer?
1. Chapter 1

"Marry me, Amanda."

Even as he heard the words he had just spoken, he was cursing himself for being every kind of a fool. Not that he didn't mean them, never that, but he hadn't meant to blurt it out in the middle of a conversation. He knew Amanda too well, he knew she would run.

Now he stood staring into Amanda's eyes as confusion, fear, hope and despair flitted across her face. He could have sworn love had appeared there briefly, but maybe that was just his hope playing tricks.

"It would serve you right if I said yes", she said lightly.

As he opened his mouth, she touched her finger over his lips and shushed him. "I am sorry, but I have to go ... an appointment I nearly forgot." She kissed him briefly and walked away. He couldn't do anything but stare after her, entranced, even as he wished there was something, anything he could do to keep her from leaving.


	2. Chapter 2

Who did he think he was? Sometimes he made her so angry she could just spit! They were having a lovely walk alongside the lake, reminiscing about some of the good old days, having fun and then all of a sudden, he up and says "Marry me, Amanda." What was he thinking? The scary thing was that she almost said "YES!", and then the even scarier thing was how hurt she felt when she saw the look on his face after, as if he wished he hadn't said anything. Damn him, damn him and his big brown eyes – she wasn't someone who stayed anywhere for any length of time, she didn't do tied down, that wasn't who she was. She had to go.


	3. Chapter 3

Duncan watched her until she was out of sight, then resumed his walk around the lake. He needed time to think, and if he wasn't mistaken, Amanda needed time to pack her things before heading for the nearest airport and the first flight to anywhere. He knew he had to let her go. The more he tried to hold on, the harder she would fight to get away.

When had it become so important to him that she stick around, he wondered. He had loved her from the start. She had stolen his gold and then his heart in quick succession and he had only succeeded in getting one of them back. But he had been content to meet up every so often, have some fun, usually get entangled in whatever scheme Amanda was involve in, spend some time together and then go their separate ways. Now he found himself wanting something more, something more permanent. Well he wasn't going to get it by frightening Amanda away with out of the blue proposals. He would have to consider his plan of action and then wait for Amanda to get over her funk and come and see him again.

He headed back to the loft. Going in, however, proved much harder than he had anticipated. Amanda wasn't untidy but she had a way of making the loft her own when she came to stay, and somehow it felt really empty without her. He decided to head over to Joe's and try and forget, or at least ignore for a few hours the sudden feeling of emptiness in the loft and in his heart.

As he reached the bar, he felt the buzz of another Immortal pull at his consciousness, and against his better judgement, felt the hope rise in his heart, that maybe she had decided to stick around. Opening the dorr, he quickly scanned the room, and recognised Methos at the bar. Concealing his chagrin, he made his way over, nodding to a few of the regulars in greeting.

"Hi Adam, Joe."

"Hey Mac, what can I get you?"

"MacLeod, wasn't expecting you on this cold and windswept night!"

"Scotch, please Joe. Seemed like a good night to spend some time with friends, but I'm here so might as well stick around for a bit."

"Ah, biting sarcasm, more my line than yours."

"Leave the man to enjoy his drink in peace, Adam."

"But where is the fun in that?"

Duncan let his friends banter wash over him as he sipped his drink and allowed the ambience and the music soothe him. Blues was just right for his mood tonight. He answered any queries somewhat at random and hoped that they put it down to getting lost in the music. However he was drawn out of his reverie when Methos asked, "And will we have the pleasure of the lovely Amanda's company tonight?"

"She had to catch a flight this afternoon, some important meeting." He looked across at them briefly, then turned to face the band, missing the meeting of eyes, and quirked eyebrows that greeted his answer.

"Well, she never could seem to stop in one place for any length of time." Methos said languidly.

Duncan flinched inwardly (he hoped only inwardly) and said nothing. Methos nodded briefly to himself and turned back to Joe.

"Good band tonight! Thinking of making them regulars?"

"Well, see how they go, but so far they seem to be drawing the crowd in."

Joe glanced over at Mac, and raised his eyebrows in a question to Methos, who shook his head gently and continued their conversation, addressing remarks to Duncan from time to time, but not worried if they never received a reply.

At closing time, Methos turned to Duncan, "Any chance of a lift home, MacLeod?"


	4. Chapter 4

Amanda refused to let herself think as she made her way to the airport and caught the first flight out, which took her to Milan. She refused to think as she made the most of the small boutiques, deciding that it was time to renew her wardrobe again. She refused to think as she made her way haphazardly through Europe's great cities, distracting herself with all they had to offer. Finally, months later, she found herself here, at the place she hadn't even realised she had been heading towards ever since she left Duncan in the park.

She knelt beside the stone and gently traced the letters carved upon it. "Rebecca, you will never believe what has happened! What am I going to do? So many times I have wanted to talk to you, have felt lost without you, but never more so than now."


	5. Chapter 5

"Do you have any idea what is happening with Mac lately? It is not his normal brooding, and any moral dilemmas he usually argues out with you or me. I can't put my finger on it, but something is not right."

"I might."

"Well?" Joe said impatiently.

"If you give me another beer, I'll give you a short history lesson!" Methos lounged back against the bar and smiled.

Joe put a beer in front of Methos and asked "And would this history lesson actually have anything to do with the question?"

"It might."

"Helpful, aren't you. OK well shoot."

"Immortals are, by nature and circumstance, loners. The repeated and inevitable loss of mortal friends and lovers, causes them to withdraw, refusing to allow themselves to get too close to the mortals they live amongst. The rules of the Game tend to preclude getting too close to other Immortals, knowing that one day they might have to face one another in battle, or may lose a challenge and leave the other lost and alone. Any partnerships that develop are strategic, and tend to be based on mutual need."

"OK, Immortal Psychology 101. But ..."

"Yes, there is a but ... Duncan is the exception to this rule, as he is to many others. Before his first death he was the beloved and cherished son of a Highland chieftain. Bred to lead his clan, to protect and provide for them. Family and clan were all important, it was where you belonged, it was what defined you.

And even though he wandered millions of miles from the valley, over the hills his clansmen never ventured beyond, he has retained the values instilled centuries before.

Repeatedly, through the centuries, he has built and rebuilt a family for himself. A clan to protect and love, a family to belong to. And the more loss he suffers, the closer he draws his clan to him. Giving loyalty and protection to them, he receives loyalty that surprises those he draws to him, loyalty they would never have believed they could give."

With a touch of sarcasm he continued, "Just look at me, 5000 years of self preservation, and he can make me head towards the fight instead of away from it!"


	6. Chapter 6

Duncan's thoughts turned to Tessa, as they did more and more nowadays as he wrestled with these new feelings.

He had truly loved her.

"_Maybe I want someone I can grow old with."_

"_You know I want the same thing, to grow old with you."_

It couldn't be, but he had promised that he would stay with her, would love her until she died. That day had unfortunately come much sooner than either of them could have imagined, but if it had been twenty, forty or sixty years in the future, nothing would have changed. He had asked her to marry him, something he had never done before.

Amanda had known he would never leave Tessa. Oh, she had asked him to, of course, but they both knew it was for form's sake, not because she believed for a minute that he actually would.

Yet, Tessa had felt threatened by her as she had not by any other, had felt the need to compete. She had sensed their connection, yet had not been able to understand it. Not a surprise really, as Duncan could never have explained it, didn't understand it himself, not back then.

"_She made me laugh, when there was very little to laugh about. I know that seems very little, but it is what I remember about her."_

The one thing Tessa had never comprehended was how strong his love was for her. That as long as she was alive, he was hers, body and soul.


	7. Chapter 7

Joe looked up thoughtfully.

"I have been thinking about what you said a while back. And, beside the fact that it proves you can be a decent human being, in spite of all your protestations to the contrary, I can see some of what you mean. But, Duncan has lost so much in the last few years! Darius, Tessa, Fitz, to mention just a few! Where does that leave him now?"

Methos leaned languidly, and considered his beer. "It leaves him pulling what remains of his family as close as he can. He may not say very much, or let us in on what's bothering him, but when was the last time he was not in here for more than two days in a row. He is making sure we are here."

"OK. So he is keeping us nearby, what about Amanda, she has disappeared for parts unknown? Hasn't she?"

"Well Amanda never was very good at staying in one place."

"And you think that is part of the problem?"

"Amanda has her own issues to work through. After all you don't get to be a few centuries old, without picking up a few issues along the way."


	8. Chapter 8

Amanda knelt next to Rebecca's grave, and continued to talk to the woman who had been her teacher, a special relationship for an immortal, and more like a mother to her, than woman who she had called mother. Rebecca was the person she had always taken her most difficult problems to, and talking to her had helped her make decisions, forced her to face things.

"You know I love him. Maybe you always knew. Do you know, it took us over 350 years and the impending destruction of everything we had ever known to get us to admit that we felt something for each other. And even then, we couldn't say the words!

I love his big brown eyes, his beautiful body, his sense of honour, his boyscout rules (annoying as they can be), his compassion, his empathy... oh come on, I love him. Howcome is that so hard to say? You know that I was nearly thirty, and had already died once, before someone, you, showed me what forgiveness was, what it meant to love. It is hard to unlearn the lessons of childhood, that you are no good, unlovable, that the only way to get affection is by manipulation and lying. Having to be wary of everyone you meet for centuries doesn't help much. Immortals are after your head, mortals would fear you and kill you if they had any suspicion of what you are. How are you supposed to switch all that off and believe in one man's love?"


	9. Chapter 9

Methos came into the bar, muttering to himself, threw himself down on one of Joe's bar stools and ordered a beer. When Joe had finished his set, he made his way across to the old man to find out what had happened to get him so upset.

"What is it about that crazy Scot, that can make normal, well maybe not entirely normal, but certainly sane people go against everything they hold dear."

The corners of Joe's mouth twitched, but he waited, pushing another beer towards Methos, knowing that once the ranting was out of the way, he would find out what was happening.

"And you know what is worse? The fact that for once he is not interfering in things, the one time when he probably should. Contrary, that's what he is. And that somehow I end up being fool enough to turn my back on everything I have ever learned about staying alive, and prepare to stick my nose into someone else's business. To take things to yet another level of badness, the same idiot Scot will probably decide to go for my head, because he doesn't want people interfering in his business, never mind the fact that he has made it his mission to interfere in everyone else's!"

With a glare at his now empty beer glass, Methos finally wound down. Accepting a fresh glass with a nod, he stared glumly into it for a bit, before turning to Joe.

"Please tell me why. Why do I feel like I have to do something, when every instinct is shrieking at me that getting involved does not bode well for a long and well, long future?"

"Because he is your friend."

"That is all you have to say for yourself? He is my friend! What kind of answer is that?"

"The truth."

"Damn you. Damn him and damn you!"

Joe shrugged, letting the silence settle for a bit, before asking,

"So what's the plan?"

"Fluid at the moment – I've got to talk to Duncan and to Amanda. May need your help with the second, that is if she hasn't ditched her watcher again?"

"I'll see what I can do. And Adam, ... it's a good look for you."

Joe shuffled off to serve another customer, leaving Methos to stare quizzically after him.


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry about the delay. I couln't seem to get this down. Anyway, I hope to update a bit more regularly.

* * *

As he returned to the apartment, he felt the presence of an immortal. He made his way carefully and quietly to his door, refusing to acknowledge the hope that welled unbidden in his heart and instinctively reached for the hilt of his katana. Entering, he fought back the wave of despair, as he took in the long form sprawled out on the couch, hand negligently resting on his sword hilt.

"Methos!"

"Hi there, how are you doing at this entirely too uncivilised hour of the morning? Make yourself at home, there is beer in the fridge."

"What do you want Methos?"

"Less a case of what I want, and more of what you need."

"What on earth are you talking about?"

"We need to talk about Amanda."

"What about her?", Duncan sounded annoyed, then turned suddenly as he thought of something, "Is she okay? What has happened?"

"Nothing's happened?" he stopped briefly, then amended that to "that I know of." Shaking his head as if to clear his focus again, Methos continued, "What happened with Amanda?"

"She had some business to attend to. You know Amanda, always something on the go."

"Yes, I know Amanda, and so do you. So why is this different?"

"Different?"

"Normally, when she leaves, you are either angry about something she has done or basking in the memory of her presence. This is different, why?"

"What does it matter, Methos? She is not coming back, not for a long time."

"And I ask again, why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

"Because I did something stupid."

Methos raised an eyebrow, "Okay, interesting ... define stupid."

"What does it matter?"

"I need to know where to start my lecture from,"

"Look, I really don't need this. I know I was stupid, asking her to marry me, especially blurting it out like I did. And I know it is going to take years before she makes contact with me again, and I know that when she does I am going to have to tread very carefully so as not to send her running off again. So save your lecture, okay."

He turned to find Methos staring at him. After a full minute of silence, he muttered, "WHAT?"

"Well Mac, I didn't think anyone could do it after all this time, but congratulations, you have surprised me!" He smiled, a rare real smile.


	11. Chapter 11

"So why do you think it was a mistake to ask her to marry you?"

"You should have seen her face, she couldn't get away from me fast enough. I moved too fast, asked for more than she wants to give. It'll probably be decades before I see her again, and she won't stick around for very long when she does show up. Eventually, if I do nothing to scare her, she will start relaxing around me again, and we may be able to get back to where we were. Right now, she's scared."

The two men sat and contemplated the woman they were discussing. Eventually Methos broke the mutual silence.

"In your village, what was life like for the women? What was it like for those who didn't have children, and those who didn't get married? What roles were they given or allowed?", he paused giving time for Duncan to think, then continued, "You've travelled widely, compare that with what you have seen through most of your life. I know you have a respect for woman, but what were other men's attitudes, what were society's norms. Now consider the history you have learned, go back another 800 years, what would the situation have been then? Can you imagine what life must have been like for an immortal woman? An eternally young and beautiful woman. Imagine the jealousy, the number of times they would be called witch, and run out of town, if not killed. Even in those eras where women had some power, when they could inherit, they had to rely on their knights to lead their armies into battle. Imagine travelling in times when no "decent" woman was allowed to travel alone. Imagine when being able to read and write was actually a danger, because no "good" woman had an education. And the excuse that you had learned several hundred years before it became wrong would only have got you condemned as a witch instead. Imagine the times when the only suitable roles would be wife and mother or servant. Now imagine Amanda fitting into those societies. Everything she is good at was frowned upon, things she couldn't do were demanded. She has had to fight for everything she has and everything she is."

He left it there, focussing his gaze on the bookcase, leaving Duncan to consider. Getting them both another beer a while later, he passed one over to the quiet Highlander, and moved on.

"Why do you think she comes to you when she is in trouble?"

"Because she knows I will help."

"True, now, do you think she needs your help?"

Methos saw Duncan's expression turn thoughtful, and smiled slightly, amused at the expressions flitting across the dark face.

"This is a woman who is as good at getting out of trouble as she is at getting into it. A woman who survived 800 years before you even came along, never mind the decades in between meetings."

Duncan grinned as he thought back over some of Amanda's exploits. "I guess I don't always think about it, but I know she is quite capable of looking after herself. Not that it will stop me from helping."

"Of course not, what I want you to consider is why she comes to you."

"To irritate me?"

"Quite possibly that plays a part!" Adam's lips twitched, "Probably a rather large part, but underneath all that, she is showing you that she trusts you."

"I'm not entirely sure I follow your reasoning there, old man."

"She gives you the opportunity to do for her what she is quite capable of doing for herself, because she trusts you, because she knows looking after others is an important part of who you are, so she lets you do it for her. She has had to use every trick, every ruse to survive, even feigning weakness to manipulate situations to her advantage. With you it is different, she trusts you not to take advantage, so she can allow herself to be weak sometimes because she knows you will never use that to hurt her."

Duncan turned and moved to the window, staring out blankly as he processed everything Methos had said. It made a lot of sense, he just needed some time to let it all sink in. There was a warm glow in his chest at the thought that she trusted him, and considering history from the angle Methos described had given him a greater appreciation of what she might have been through. Even as he mulled it over though, he could feel the depression he had been pushing aside all these weeks, rising inexorably. Everything Methos had said, just meant that he would still have to wait this out, and that the future he had dreamt of may still be just that, a dream. He battled against the rising tide, knowing he couldn't give in to it, not now, not until he was alone.

Forcing himself to remain calm, he faced Methos again.

"Thanks Methos, for everything. You have given me a lot to think about. I think I need some time alone now, if you don't mind."

The Highlander seemed calm enough, but Methos had the feeling he was holding himself under very strict control. Realising though, that there was little more he could do today, he said his farewells and made his way to Joe's for his next chore.

Duncan breathed a sigh of relief at being alone with his thoughts again. He came to a decision, it was time to go out to the island. He could fight this there without worrying his friends, and the hard physical work would be a good antidote. Then, he could return and face whatever the future had to offer.

Duncan headed over to the bedroom to start packing, might as well get started immediately.


	12. Chapter 12

"Joe, about that favour I said I might need, could you find out where Amanda is? That is, of course, assuming she hasn't managed to lose her watcher again."

Joe raised an eyebrow.

"Come on Joe. You don't think I am after her head! Besides, I can find her myself if I have to but you know it will be quicker if you give me the info."

"It is against my oath."

"And you've broken it before, for a good reason. This is for Macleod."

Joe pushed a piece of paper across the bar to the oldest immortal, smiling a little at the outraged expression on his face.

"I figured you would be needing this."

"So what was ...?"

"Figured you should work a little for it." came the reply, softened with the beer being passed his way, "Figured you might need this too."


	13. Chapter 13

Amanda was feeling restless as she sorted through her morning post. She had awoken from a dream with the feeling of an immortal presence, but by the time she was fully awake it had faded, leaving her unsure of what she had actually felt. It had been hard to relax again as thoughts of the Hunters intruded. She shivered again as she remembered how close it had been and the terror of an enemy she couldn't feel coming. In the mail was a handwritten envelope. The note card inside said only "Meet me at Darius' at 2." The writing looked vaguely familiar but she couldn't place it. It had to be an immortal she figured, explaining the holy ground and probably accounting for the feeling she had had last night.

Suddenly the day ahead looked more interesting than it had five minutes ago. Cheered now, she finished breakfast and planned her morning. Shopping, a nice lunch at the gorgeous little café she had discovered tucked away in Montmartre and then head to the church early. This also gave her plenty of time to ditch her watcher and check if anyone else was trying to tail her.

As she waited in the church she wondered who it could be.

She felt the buzz and brown eyes raised to meet green. Methos' quirky grin was infectious and unexpectedly welcome to Amanda. She flung herself into his arms and hugged him tight.

"Well hello 'Manda", he drawled quietly but wrapped his arms around her and patted her shoulder. Fighting a foreign urge to burst into tears, and slightly ashamed, she put on a big smile and disentangled herself.

"It's nice to see you too, Amanda." Methos said gently, and although she could see amusement in his eyes, there was also understanding. Allowing her time to recover, he took her arm in his and led her out of the church saying, "I thought it would be nice for you to take me out for a drink."

A real smile graced her face, and she slapped him lightly saying, "I'm sure you did! And in spite of that, I will take you out. I know just the place."

Chatting, they made their way to a quiet bar with secluded booths. After ordering Amanda turned to Methos seriously, "It is good to see you, but if you have come to talk about Macleod I am not ready for it."

Methos just nodded.

"We can talk about anything. What about books? I just finished an interesting biography of an actress ... her husbands description of their relationship really struck me. He said she was always reaching towards the light and he was pulled to the darkness, but their relationship held them both in the middle, between the two extremes, and so made both of them better.

"I thought we weren't talking about Macleod and I?"

"I wasn't, but now that you mention it, I can see the similarities."

"Just one thing ... is he okay?"


	14. Chapter 14

"I can't give him what he wants."

"What is it you think Macleod wants?"

"He wants to settle down, have a home, a family, a normal life."

"Mac is a wanderer, for 400 years he has never stayed in one place for more than a decade. Where do you think Duncan considers home?"

"Glenfinnan is special to him."

"The place of his birth will always have a special place in his heart, but he hasn't spent much time there in the last 350 years."

"He always comes back to Paris eventually."

"Why do you think that is?"

"It's a beautiful city."

"But so is Vienna, Rome, Kathmandu, the list goes on. What brings him back to Paris?"

"Tessa."

"Only in the last decade or so."

"I don't know. I am not an expert on Duncan Macleod. We meet, spend a few weeks, maybe even a few months and then we part. I only know I meet him here in Paris quite frequently.

"Give the girl a gold star. Home for Mac is about people, not geography, it's about family, not location!"

"And you think I am family?"

"No."

Amanda looked shocked and hurt. Methos waited just a beat before continuing, "I know you are. You are one of the few constants in his life, you make him smile when no one else can. I've watched you two and it's like you bring a light into his world, no matter how much you irritate him."

"He once asked me how long I thought we could live together before we were ready to kill each other. He didn't think we could."

"If there is one thing I can guarantee, it is that you will want to kill each other from time to time. Just don't give in to the temptation and you will be fine."

"I was telling Rebecca how even when Kallas ... well, you know ... I never could find the words to tell him how much I loved him."

They sat quietly for a minute, then Methos said, "Maybe you should tell him."


	15. Chapter 15

Duncan brushed the sweat out of his eyes. He was finally finished with the repairs to his cabin. These past few weeks, he had pushed himself, allowing the hard physical work and the relentless training to tire his body and clear his mind. Another few days and he would be ready to rejoin the world and see what tomorrow would bring.

As he approached his apartment he felt the familiar buzz. Someone was in there. Knowing it was probably Methos, but still cautious, he drew his katana and made his way in quietly. When he didn't encounter Methos stretched out on the sofa as expected, he held his sword ready and moved towards the bedroom. As he whirled into the doorway in attack position, he was faced with Amanda's sword.

"I was hoping it was you."

"That would be why you were ready to attack."

"Well, I know what kind of guests you have, so I figured, better safe than sorry." Amanda was relieved to see his quick grin at her quip, then smiled a little uncertainly. "It is good to see you again."

"And you." He put aside the katana and drew her into an embrace that felt like home to both of them. "And you.", he whispered into her hair.

She pulled back slightly from his arms, reaching up and running her fingers gently through his hair. Holding his gaze, with a serious expression he rarely saw on her face, she spoke.

"I am sorry. I know I hurt you, but I hope you know it was never my intention. I need to tell you ...", she took a breath, this was harder than expected. However when he made to speak, she put a gentle finger across his lips. "No, I need to actually say this. I know you know, you know I know, but the words are important too." She leaned her head against his shoulder for a second, taking a deep breath and letting the scent of him surround her. Lifting her head and catching his eyes once again, she continued, "I love you. Whatever happens, whatever we say or do, please remember that. I love you so much. Being with you is like coming home, to a home I have never had."


	16. Chapter 16

When she took off a month later, leaving a note in the kitchen about having to see a man about a camel, he was resigned. He had decided to accept what she could give and enjoy what time they had together. It had hurt as he had known it would, but he forced himself to carry on with his normal routine.

It was a week later that he discovered she had left a bag in the closet, a smallish bag it was true, but she had left some of her things behind with him.

After a few weeks, she breezed back into Joe's bar, kissed him, chatted to him, Joe and Methos as if she had never been gone and when he left the bar, she went home with him.

Two months later, she disappeared again, but she left some toiletries in his room, and some clothes hanging in the cupboard. He refused to allow the hope to grow too strong, but couldn't help but believe that he would see her again shortly.

The solitary trips became further and further apart and their duration shorter.

Sometimes the whirlwind that was Amanda would whisk them both off at a moments notice to wherever in the world had taken her fancy.

And when the wanderlust grew in him, they packed up and took a long trip.


	17. Chapter 17

He realised she had been antsy for weeks and was resigning himself to the fact that this was going to be a longer absence, maybe even the end of this particular run. It had already lasted much longer than he had ever expected. She dragged him out for a walk down by the lake, and he could see that she was battling to find the words for whatever she had on her mind. It almost made him want to say goodbye, just so she didn't have to, but something held him back. He didn't want this to end, and he wasn't going to make it easy for her, not this time.

She stood staring out across the shimmering water, lost in her thoughts. He watched her for a while, drinking in her beauty, imprinting this moment on his mind, sure that this would the last time in a long while. She looked so alone though, that he was impelled to go and put his arms around her. She leaned back into him, savouring his warmth, before she twisted in his arms to face him. Looking more vulnerable than he ever remembered having seen her, she looked into his eyes, and whispered "Yes."

He could only stare at her, still thrown by her vulnerability and not really understanding what she meant by the single word.

Her eyes downcast, she continued, "If you still want me, of course. I realise the offer may not be open any longer. I can't say I blame you if it isn't, but if it is, then my answer this time would be yes."

He sorted through her babbling, and thought that maybe, just maybe, he knew what she was talking about. It seemed a little unbelievable, but Amanda had always specialised in surprising him.

This time it was his turn to silence her with a gentle finger to the lips.

"Give me a moment." He looked around them again, and let his mind go back to that day, two years ago, two years ago today if he was correct.

"Are you saying that we came here, to this place, on this day, for a reason?"

Her eyes still on the ground, a small nod was his only answer.

"And that if I asked you a question, the answer would be yes?"

The small nod again.

He hooked his finger under her chin, gently raising her face to his. He waited until her eyes were forced to meet his, before he leaned in to brush a gentle kiss against her lips. Still holding her gaze, he stepped away from her. She looked a little lost, unsure as to what was happening.

"Then let me do this properly."

He took her hand, raised it to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on her fingers.

"Amanda, my love, will you marry me?"

"Really?"

"You make my heart glad, you always have."

"Yes."


End file.
